Combined headlight and fog light



April 1, 1941. J. H. CURRY COMBINED HEADLIGHT AND FOG LIGHT Filed Nov. 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 14, 1939 I Jasep//Z ATTO R N EYS Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE COMBINED HEADLIGHT AND FOG LIGHT Joseph H. Curry, Lansdale, Pa.

Application November 14, 1939, Serial No. 304,437

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a combined head and fog light and has for an object to provide novel means for moving distinctively colored translucent masks radially of the lens and at the same time moving the lamp to produce a dimmed beam while always retaining a white unobstructed beam from the center of the lens to comply with regulations which require a white light to be used at all times.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a combined head and fog light constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the bulb moving device.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 showing the mask at its innermost position on the lens.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the mask in its outermost position on the lens.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, In designates the casing, II the lens, I2 the lamp, and I3 the lamp socket, these parts being conventional.

In carrying out the invention a plurality of arcuate masks M of distinctively colored glass are disposed on the inner face of the lens. The masks are of an aggregate length to form an annulus when moved radially inward to innermost position on the lens and dim the beam for driving in fog. In this position, the masks outline a transparent circular opening l5 at the center of the lens through which unobstructed light rays may shine from the bulb l2 to comply with trafli'c regulations. When moved radially outward to their outermost positions on the inner face of the lens the masks cover part of the outer portion of the lens so that great intensity of light will be promoted for driving in clear weather.

For adjusting the masks a ring 16 is mounted to float in the casing concentric With the axis of the lens and has oscillatory movement through a limited stroke about the axis of the lens. The ring is disposed back of the lens I1, with the outer periphery confronting the inner lens holding member 18 which is secured to the casing by screws I9. The member is provided with four equally spaced substantially square plates 20 which extend radially inwardly beyond the inner periphery of the ring l6.

Each plate 20 has swivelly mounted thereon a pair of disks 2| and 22, one of the disks having a slotted lever arm 23 which is connected to the ring by a pivot pin 24 passed through the slot and into the ring. Both disks have radially extending lever arms 25 and 26 which overlie a respective mask 14 and which are connected to the respective mask by links 2'! and 28, pivotally connected at the ends to the arms and to the mask. The disk 22 of each pair, connected to the ring I6, is connected by a connecting rod 29 to the disk 2| (not connected to the ring), of the next adjacent pair. When the ring is oscillated in one direction all of the disks will be turned on their axes to move the link 21 and adjust the masks radially inwardly to the position shown in Figure 3. When the ring is oscillated in the opposite direction all of the masks M will be retracted outwardly radially to the position shown in Figure 4. j

The crank arm 23 of one of the disks is provided with an extension 30 which projects exteriorly of the casing and has two cords 3| and 32 connected thereto and trained to the dash of the vehicle to be alternately pulled to adjust the masks. The cord 3| is also connected to the bulb adjusting means which will now be described.

By referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that an guide tube 33 is disposed concentric with the axis of the lens and is connected at both ends to the casing NJ and to the reflector 34. A lamp socket 35 is slidably mounted in the tube and is provided with a bayonet slot 36 to receive the pin 31 of the attaching base of the bulb l2. The socket slides forwardly and backwardly in the guide tube and the circuit wires 38 are of suflicient length to be received in the hollowed out end of a plug 39 which closes the outer end of the guide tube, when the socket is retracted inwardly in the guide tube.

As best shown in Figure 2, the socket 35 is provided with a longitudinal rack 40 which is exposed through a. slot 4| in the guide tube. A

mutilated gear 452 is journaled as shown at 43 on bearings 44, which are formed integral with the guide tube, and meshes with the rack. The gear is provided with a lever 45 which projects through slot 46 in the casing and which is connected at the end to the cord 3t to be moved in one direction when the cord is pulled by the driver and to be returned to normal position by a helical spring 41 connected to the lever at one end and anchored stationaryto the casing at the other end. The spring normally holds the mutilated gear in position to hold the lamp bulb retracted to its limit toward the plug 31 of the guide tube 33.

In operation when it is desired to adjust the masks from the position shown in Fi'gure4 to the 7 an annulus'around the axis of light projection of 1 the lens, as shown in Figure 3, and move the bulb to its limit of movement toward the lens I1 to dim the beams.

To return the masks to normal position for bright light driving conditions, the cord 32 is pulled tormove-the lever in the opposite direction and adjust the masks l4 outwardly to the position shown in Figure 4, and simultaneously slack the cord 3| to permit the spring 41 to move the lever 45 to return the bulb to its limit of movement away from the lens ll.

- From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explana tion.

What is claimed is:

A combined headlight and fog light comprising a casing, a bulb in the casing, a reflector, a lens, means holding the lens in place, a plurality of plates extending radially inward from said means,

an annular series of disks disposed concentric I with the axis of the casing, the disks being disposed in pairs, each pair of disks being swivelly mounted on the inner end of a respective plate, a ring floatin within the casing andosciilatable through a limited stroke concentric .with the axis of the casing, one of the disks of each pair of disks being pivotally connected to the ring to be swiveled when the ring is moved, the other disk of each pair being free from the ring, a connecting rod connecting the first-named disk of one pair with said other disk to the next adjacent pair of disks in a counter-clockwise direction, arms carried by each pair of disks, arcuate translucent masks disposed in the casing in an annular series between each pair of disks, links connecting the arms of each pair of disks with the ends of two adjacent masks, the arrangement being such that when the ring is turned in one direction all of the disks will be moved radially inward to form an annulus adapted to dim'the beam and when the ring is turned in the opposite direction all of the masks will be moved radially outwardly toward the ring to permit bright-light driving conditions, a lever projecting from one of the disks pivotally and slidably connected to the ring for movin the ring, and a cord connected to the lever to rock the lever on the swivel connection of r' the respective disk as a pivot to move the ring in either direction to move the masks into dimming or out f dimming position.

' JOSEPH H. CURRY. 

